The New Electoral Politics in New ZealandThe Significance of the 2011 Election

The New Electoral Politics in New ZealandThe Significance of the 2011 Election

Around the world there was unusual interest in New Zealand's electoral politics during the 1990's, because of the country's adoption of the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system. Since then international interest has lapsed. Yet at the 2011 election and concurrent referendum, New Zealanders voted to retain the MMP system. Among other inquiries, this book asks the question: why? Looking back to the 2011 election and before, this book lays out the current state of the play in New Zealand electoral politics. Despite its reservations about MMP, the National Party has done very well under that system, particularly since 2005, with a vote share and polling that brought it well within reach of a single party majority in 2014. For these reasons National appears unwilling to change the MMP system in ways recommended by an independent review conducted by the Electoral Commission. This book explores these questions, as well as others, including voter turnout decline, attitudes to welfare reform, women's representation, changes in Maori politics, and the growing importance of immigration on New Zealand politics and society.